Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has joined executives from GeelongPort in Victoria to view preparations for GeelongPort’s Renewables Terminal.
GeelongPort plans to develop up to 25 hectares of land at its Oyster Cove site to build a new offshore wind farm terminal to support renewables industry in the Gippsland and Southern Ocean zones.
New designs showcase the way the Geelong Renewables Terminal has been designed for a streamlined environmental approvals pathway to support the delivery of the project in late 2028 or early 2029, in line with the Victorian Government’s development targets.
GeelongPort CEO Brett Winter said: “We believe our new terminal can be a cornerstone of Victoria’s multi-port strategy to support the establishment of the offshore wind sector and achieve two gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2032.
“Given the natural advantages of the Oyster Cove site and the speed at which we can get our project up and running, we are well placed to help get this new industry off the ground and achieve Australia’s offshore wind targets.”
GeelongPort’s site at Oyster Cove has the space and berth depth for an offshore wind terminal to facilitate the supply of wind farm equipment to offshore wind development zones.
Marles said: “Projects like the Geelong Renewables Terminal will be important as we work towards becoming a renewable energy superpower, contributing to Australia’s 2050 net zero emissions target and I am pleased to support this project.
“This will see significant economic benefits for the wider Geelong region, with the project forecast to create more than 4,200 direct and indirect jobs for Victorians during construction and an additional 850 once operational.”
Geelong is Victoria’s second largest port managing close to 12 million tonnes of cargo and 600 vessel visits per year. The port has 90 berths over 90 hectares of land.
Picture: GeelongPort